Sonia Kruger: 'Dressing "age-appropriately"? Over my dead body'

I'll let you in on a secret: normally I try to arrange annual leave to make sure I'm away somewhere quiet for my birthday. 

I don't want people to make a fuss. I'll do anything I can to avoid a group of people singing 'Happy Birthday' to me — is there anything more awkward? Although, I'll definitely take the cake!

I'm not sure if I avoid public celebration of my birthday because deep down I don't like being the centre of attention, which is weird given my line of work, I admit.

Or perhaps it's because I don't want to be reminded of my actual age... my actual age being 28 years and 312 months. Let me explain.

I was footloose and fancy-free, I landed my first job in television and Saturn returned, which people say is the most momentous event to occur in anyone's life (even though I'm still not sure what it means?) 

That's not to say I haven't enjoyed the past 312 months. Some amazing things have happened and for that I am very grateful.  

It's interesting, however, that I've maintained the ability to forget my age, as I'm constantly reminded of it in print — where, for some reason, my age is always connected to my name.  

Sonia Kruger, 53, shares her recipe for a healthy Bolognese, or

The Voice Host Sonia Kruger, 53, is helped into her car by two chaperones, and then

Ageless Sonia Kruger, 53, channels her inner Daisy Duke in a pair of denim hot pants.

That one is my favourite, because what we wear as we age is a key indicator of whether we've submitted handmaid style to the expected 50-plus dress code. 

We're told to lose the minis, bikinis and Daisy Dukes. 

Instead, we're encouraged to cover our upper arms and saggy knees, preferably with a sensible mid-length linen shirtdress and some statement jewellery. 

Over my dead, wrinkly, inappropriately-dressed body!

Look at Elle Macpherson, J-Lo and the divine Robin Wright: half a century or more, and sexy as all get out.

As the saying goes, what other people think is none of our business. 

Someone obviously forgot to tell Helen Mirren she's not allowed to be hot anymore, because she's still rocking it at 74.

I hope I am too at Helen's age, when I'll be 28 and 552 months and hopefully like her, still wearing a bikini. 

I hope all women feel the same — dance like nobody's watching, ladies. And while you're at it, raise a glass in a birthday toast... to all of us.    

Sonia Kruger has recently launched a dance-based fitness and nutritional program, Strictly You — check out the website here